Quick Guide to Courts

A court is a tribunal that works with the authority of an adjudicated legal system. Courts are used to settle disputes between parties. They utilize the established justice system through an unbiased review of the facts present in the dispute to reach a settlement or a decision associated with the case. The court system in most countries is a form of a governmental institution. The administration of justice works in accordance, in both civil and criminal cases, with the general rule of law.

In both civil law legal systems and common law systems, the courts are the primary and central means to offer a resolution. In the American legal system, an individual or party has the right and ability to settle a dispute through a court system. Similarly, the individual or party accused also has the ability to present a defense before a court system.

The court system is responsible for interpreting and applying the rule of law to a dispute. The individuals who enforce the legal system are collectively referred to as the judiciary. A dispute in court is held in a courtroom--a venue where the proceedings of the dispute are carried out. A typical courtroom is located in a building appropriately referred to as a courthouse. The facilities of courthouses range from simple rooms to enormous buildings.

The court, through the judge's decision, has the ability to settle disputes while using the general rule of law as its primary buttress. The court system in the United States is highly elaborate, yet made available to all citizens of the country.

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